Match 5. AFC Portchester v Folland Sports

Saturday 30^th August 2014 @3pm

FA Cup Qualifying Preliminary Round

AFC PORTCHESTER 1-4 FOLLAND SPORTS

Wicor Recreation Ground, Cranleigh Road, Fareham.

Admission: £6

Programme: free (normally £1.50)

Attendance:?? My EST about 100

Refreshments: Stowford Press Cider, £1.50 (pint £3). Cheese and egg burger £2.90.

Having set off with this game being first choice and Fleet Spurs the back up, I thought I would be at the latter due to the increasingly regular Saturday M25 traffic standstill near both Clackett Lane and Cobham Services.  The A3 however was quiet and I made up the lost time, getting to Portsmouth by 2.15pm. On with the Sat Nav for the last 15 minutes driving and arriving at Wicor Rec Ground by half past.

I enjoyed the match day experience at AFC Portchester.  The club gives off a professional and community based set up, from the football of the first team (even though it was a heavy defeat, the score didn’t merit the 90 minutes) to the ball boys and families present from I gather a junior side, the friendly gateman, attentive barmaid on the small bar and the facilities that look fairly new and the continuing development of the ground.  There is plenty of parking spaces at the ground, probably due to the nearest bus stop being just under mile away and a further mile to the Railway station.  After going through the entrance gate, the snack bar is immediately on the right and the club building stretches 40-50 yards alongside the near touchline. As well as toilets and changing rooms the club has 2 function rooms with the large bar not open but the room was still used for seating and BT & Sky Sports.  The smaller open bar is kitted out with the clubs orange and black colours, even down to the orange pool table. The other half of the touchline has a standard type covered seating area, followed by an extended standing cover which is almost complete but only needs the steps and crush barriers in place for 50% of the terraced stand for completion. There is an older looking mobile building behind the near goal as well as one of those temporary seating like found in golf tournaments in the corner, with no cover.  Similar to the stand at Brightlingsea Regent.

Both sides played well in the match but the home sides keeper and back 4 had a rotten first half.  After 14 minutes a corner for Folland Sports flew over beyond the far post and was retrieved by no9 Michael Turvey and the defender let him go past him into the area and a low cross allowed Ash Jarvis to slide and tap in from the six yard box. Despite the home side having more possession the second visitor goal came on 41 minutes.  The cross was only half cleared to 30 yards where the captain no8 Jamie Baron looped the ball into the top far corner of the net despite frantic efforts by the below average height goalkeeper Hutchings.  Then right on half time, a throw in from the left back was allowed to be picked up with ease by Baron who again shot beyond the keeper into the bottom corner from the edge of the area without a challenge in sight.

Portchester had more purpose and commitment in their attacking half after the break but lacked a killer punch.  The winger substitute no18 Bartlett-Scott had shown some Cristiano skill in both halves and hopefully can develop his game to help his undoubted natural talent. The game was put beyond any doubt on 82 minutes when Jarvis also tried a looping shot from 30 yards and he too beat the outstretched arms of the keeper.  A goal just before the end was of little consolation for Portchester but the penalty was scored by Elliott Ward.

This club has plans to continue developing the ground and aim to climb up the pyramid in a few years.  Let’s see what happens?